After the Hunt
by CommChatter
Summary: Sam and his dæmon patch Dean up after a hunt. Set mid season 3.


Takes place sometime during season 3.

Disclaimer: Sam and Dean aren't mine. Neither is the idea of dæmons.

Dean Winchester-Wolf- Virika

Sam Winchester-Akita (dog)- Aurora

*spn*hdm*

"That could have gone better." Dean groaned as he climbed out of the Impala. Holding his injured arm close to his side, he pulled the back door open to allow Virika and Aurora out. That was the only bad thing about having large dæmons, he thought hazily. They always had to ride in the back.

The Impala's driver side door creaked as Sam unfolded his large frame and hurried around to Dean and caught ahold of his arm as he tried to step away. Stagger away, more like.

"M fine, S'mmy." Dean slurred, trying to wave Sam off.

Sam promptly ignored him and supported his brother into the hotel room, dumping him on the bed closest to the bathroom. "You'd be a lot more convincing if you weren't slurring and didn't need my help standing up, Dean." Aurora growled in agreement.

Virika and Aurora entered much the same way, limping, dazed Artic wolf leaning on the larger black and white Akita. With Aurora's help, Virika climbed up on the bed and collapsed with her head on Dean's lap.

Dean ran a hand over her head and his dæmon turned her head and licked his hand, both taking comfort in the other's presence.

Aurora nosed the door shut and pawed through Sam's duffle, pulling out the first aid kit while Sam reemerged from the bathroom, toting towels and warm water. Aurora joined him by Dean, handing over the kit, and then leaping up on the bed to lie next to Virika and touching her with her nose.

"Sh-shoulder first." Dean gasped, and Sam nodded.

"On three."

"You always do it on two." Dean accused.

"Right. One." Sam jerked Dean's shoulder back into its socket, making Dean swear loudly and Virika yelp.

"Damn poltergeist." Dean gasped, taking the bottle of whiskey Sam offered and taking a swig.

"Can you take off your shirt, or do you need help?" Sam asked.

"Didn't think you swung that way, Sammy." Dean quipped, working on the buttons of his shirt. His fingers weren't cooperating, and everything seemed fuzzy.

"Shut up, jerk." Sam said, batting Dean's hand away and helping him out of the layers of clothing.

"Bitch." Dean returned. His voice was breathy and lacked any real heat.

"Jesus, Dean." Sam breathed, taking in the spectacular bruising and blood that had run down his back and sides. "I knew that you were thrown around, but I didn't think it was _this_ bad."

"Damn thing was tossing me around." Dean grumbled. "What did you expect?"

Aurora stood and examined his back for herself, then looked up at Dean. "There's glass embedded in your back. You're going to need stitches."

Sam gave Dean several pain killers and a glass of water, then helped Dean lay flat on his stomach on the bed. Aurora leapt off the bed and Virika laid on Dean's other side, poking her cold nose into his neck, making him shiver.

"You should be more careful." She chided gently.

Aurora and Sam both snorted. "I don't think that's going to happen." Sam said, sitting on Dean's other side, tweezers in one hand and a plastic bag for the pieces of glass in the other. Virika whined as he worked.

*spn*hdm*

When it was over, Sam and Aurora cleaned up, throwing away the shirts that the poltergeist had so helpfully destroyed. Sam picked up a book and laid down on his own bed, preparing himself for an all-nighter.

"A concussion, cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and twenty-five stitches." Sam said, shaking his head at Aurora. Dean grumbled slightly in his drug-and-alcohol induced sleep and flung his uninjured arm over Virika, who was pressed against his side.

"We only have six months left." Aurora said softly, jumping up on Sam's bed and stretching out next to him.

Sam ran a hand through her thick fur. "We'll get them out of it." He said.

"We have to." Aurora agreed, putting her head on Sam's chest.

*spn*hdm*

A note on the dæmon names:

Virika means "Brave one" in Indian

Aurora is Greek for "Goddess of the Dawn"

I'm branching out more! To those of you awaiting updates on _Change of Destiny_ and _Game of Deception_, they'll be along shortly. _Empousai and Demigods_ is a oneshot. Maybe a twoshot if I can think of something to write from Percy's end.

Let me know what you think, please!

-CommChatter


End file.
